| Sports |
by Dr MICHAEL
UNAGE
Respecting the rights to exist
I WAS one of the facilitators at a workshop
on human rights and violence against women held in Simbu two weeks ago.
The participants were mainly selected police personnel from the
province. There were also some community leaders and members of
non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The topics dealt mainly with the many forms of violence against women
and the responsibilities of police in such cases.
The workshop ended on a high note, where the police attendees admitted
that they had gained from it.
They also shared the problems and constraints that they faced which
hinder them from performing their duties properly and meeting the
expectations of the community.
Very importantly, women activists, community leaders and the police were
able to discuss issues of common concern, such as protecting individuals
from abuses and violation of basic rights.
The participants agreed that a concerted effort is required, involving
all stakeholders to find workable solutions.
They found the workshop rich in content as it also covered
constitutional rights, integral human development, aggression and
violence, family and sexual violence, police duties and
responsibilities, anger management, counselling skills and others.
The following is what I disseminated to the participants:
Human rights mean “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity
and rights”.
It means something which a person is entitled to have, be able to do, or
to receive from others and which is enforceable by law or things that is
fair and just for a person to have or able to do. This is the definition
everybody is acquainted with.
Any deprivation to what is due to a person can be regarded as a
violation of human rights.
Generally, human beings have a right to existence, to life and to
consciousness.
People have to exist and live somewhere which is their existential
right.
People have to grow and live their lives, which is their biological
right.
And people have to be conscious of who they are and where they are
going, their personal right. A life lived without a purpose can be
conducive to violations.
People who claim to be “born by mistake and live by chance” bolster the
process towards self-abuse. They cannot grow and use their talents and
their unique contribution to society.
Every person is given birth to grow and develop and to attain some
fulfillment in life.
According to Abraham Maslow, human beings grow and develop in five
stages. He arranged the stages according to the order of human needs and
hierarchically structured.
Only when the lower needs are fulfilled, people can progress to the next
stage. The end stage is self-fulfillment. If there are any obstacles to
fulfilling that need, they hinder the progress to the next stage.
Any barrier to these development stages can be regarded as a violation
of human existential, biological and personal rights.
The five stages in Maslow’s order are:
1. Physical needs (need for food, water, shelter);
2. Safety and security needs (need for danger and risk management);
3. Love and belonging needs (need for community, group, etc)
4. Self-esteem need (need for recognition and self-worth); and,
5. Self-actualisation need (need for fulfillment and perfection).
However, when there is privation to any of these needs, people
experience what is called frustration. Frustration in turn will lead to
anger and people can resort to violence to have their needs eventually
satisfied.
Perhaps physical needs are one of the areas where people’s attention is
most concentrated.
There are now many people living in towns who have a difficult time
trying to satisfy their physical needs.
In economically trying times, people with low and middle income will
find it difficult to satisfy many of their basic physical needs.
In order to supplant for these needs, they may resort to activities
which infringe on their rights and the right of others.
For instance, low-ranking officers in the police force many set up
road-blocks to collect spot fines for minor traffic offences.
Often arbitrary searches are done on commuters.
Although police have powers to do so, the common perception of the
public is that the police personnel are out to make money to supplant
for needs. Motorists who want easy passage offer them smoke, buai or
even cash.
Public servants also charge clients “commission” for services done.
However, people who are worst hit are those who have no jobs and have no
regular income. They live on what the sunshine will bring them each
morning.
Their physical needs can be satisfied either by chance or luck. They
flock to towns hoping they will meet a talisman.
They do not plan to cater for their own physical needs. They sleep on
the couch or veranda of wantoks.
The real concern is that these very people will not grow to fulfil their
higher needs, if they do not cater for their basic needs themselves.
For these people the need for security, love, self-worth and self-realisation
may be remote possibilities.
People who do not grow their own food and build their own houses are a
waste to the human resource development.
Frustration and anger many creep into the lives of these people and they
may resort to violence to acquire things they need for sustenance.
There is a growing feeling of socio-economic insecurity in the city of
Mt Hagen where daylight robberies and thefts are common occurrences.
The once-peaceful town of Goroka is starting to feel the pinch of
criminal elements robbing people after dark due to the demands of their
stomach.
If nothing is done by the authorities in Goroka, it will be a robbers’
den just like Mt Hagen.
Today, young girls well below the age of 18 are
entering prostitution, usually with the consent of parents so that the
money earned will cater for
their basic needs.
The boys are out in the night getting hold of drunks and ordinary people
to get whatever is in their possession.
These are the very people who may not respect their own dignity, as well
as those of others.
Human rights are all about self-respect and developing oneself to one’s
full potential.
Generally, people who lack physical needs may not develop as authentic
persons. And they are the very people who would be the perpetrators of
human rights violations.
Perhaps when we look at the many abuses against women, we know that
there is a vacuum created by human needs that were not satisfied.
 
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